<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
The Surah has been named Luqman after Luqman the Sage, whose
admonitions to his son have been related in vv. 12-19 of this Surah.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
A perusal of the subject matter shows that it was sent down in the
period when persecution to suppress and thwart the invitation to Islam
had begun and every sort of machination had started being employed for
the purpose. This is borne out by vv. 14,15, in which the young
converts to Islam have been told that although the rights of the
parents are the uppermost after God, they should not listen to them if
they prevented them from accepting Islam, or compelled them to revert
to the creed of shirk and polytheism. The same thing has been said in
Surah Al-Ankabut, which indicates that both these Surahs were sent down
in the same period. A study of the style and subject matter of the two
Surahs on the whole, however, shows that Surah Luqman was sent down
earlier, for one does not see any sign of the antagonism in its
background though, contrary to this, while studying Surah Al-Ankabut one
can clearly feel that the Muslims were being severely persecuted
during the period of its revelation.
</p>
<h2>Theme and Subject matter</h2>
<p>
In this Surah the people have been made to understand the
meaninglessness and absurdity of <em>shirk</em> and the truth and reasonableness
of <em>Tauhid</em>, and they have been invited to give up blind imitation of
their forefathers, consider with a cool mind the teachings which the
Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is
presenting from the Lord of the worlds, and see with open eyes the
manifest Signs found in the universe around them and in their own
selves, which bear evidence to its truth. 
</p>
<p>
In this connection, it has
also been pointed out that this is not a new teaching which might have
been, presented in the world, or in the land of Arabia, for the first
time, and with which the people might be unfamiliar. The learned and
wise people of the past ages said and taught the same thing which
Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) is teaching today. It is as if
to say, "O people:In your own country there has lived a wise man,
named Luqman, whose wisdom has been well known among you, whose
proverbs and wise sayings are cited in your daily conversation and who
is often quoted by your poets and orators. Now you should see for
yourselves what creed and what morals he used to teach."
</p>

